The 2019 Game Developers Conference may seem miles away, but devs looking to make tracks from Chicago to San Francisco to attend (and make a game along the way) can soon sign up to do so as part of the sixth annual Train Jam game jam!
Tickets for the 2019 Train Jam will go on sale Tuesday, November 27th at 7 AM Pacific via Eventbrite. They're non-refundable and they do go quick, so make sure not to miss it!
Created and organized for the sixth year running by intrepid game maker Adriel Wallick, Train Jam is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for devs to ride the rails and build games together in close quarters, knowing their work will be part of a unique on-site GDC showcase!
Tickets are expected to go on sale November 27th, so mark your calendars! You should also know that the Train Jam's diversity initiatives are aimed making the experience more accessible and more welcoming for all. Specificaly, they're intended to assist:
- Developers from a country which is not considered to be a part of the United States of America, Canada, Western Europe, or Australia
- Developers who identify as a woman, gender fluid, non-binary, agender, non-cisgendered man or any other under-represented gender in the games industry
- Developers of color
- Developers with disabilities
- Developers from any other group that is under-represented in the industry
If you are a developer from an under-represented community within the games industry, Train Jam may be able to assist you both financially and logistically if you fill out this application form.
They may also be able to provide travel stipends, sponsored Train Jam tickets, and visa application assistance. Train Jam can also help with the logistics of planning your trip, and will be available to answer any questions you may have with the jam, GDC, and traveling around the US. For more details, check out the Train Jam's diversity hub!
Of course, next year's Train Jam will once again take place entirely within the confines of an Amtrak train, and last roughly 52 hours -- or just over two days. Participants have from when the train departs Chicago's Union Station on Thursday, March 14th until it arrives in Emeryville on Saturday, March 16th to make the best game they can with whatever they can bring, build, or borrow.
After they arrive in San Francisco their work will be playable in a special interactive space on-site at GDC 2019 in San Francisco's (newly renovated!) Moscone Center, so don't miss your chance to stop by and check it out while you're attending the conference!
For further info on how to buy a Train Jam ticket (or reserve some if you work for a university) check out the Train Jam website. If you'd like to get an idea of what sorts of games come out of this experience, you can browse the archive of Train Jam games.
For more details on GDC 2019 visit the show's official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS.
